Indonesian labour activists staged a demonstration outside the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta last week to protest the newly amended Immigration Act which allows for the whipping of illegal immigrants.

With the changes, illegal immigrants convicted of passport violations in Malaysia risk a maximum fine of RM10,000, a five-year jail term and mandatory whipping of up to six strokes.

The Consortium for Indonesian Migrant Workers' Defense (Kopbumi) said today the demonstration involved some 50 people, including those who had previously worked in Malaysia.

"We held a performance art showing people who are tortured by caning," said Kopbumi executive secretary Wahyu Susilo when contacted.

The demonstrators also carried banners bearing messages such as 'Malaysian government terrible'.

Wahyu said another demonstration is being planned but no date has been fixed.

One-month extension

Meanwhile, Wahyu said Indonesian Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea announced on Wednesday that a one-month extension has been given to allow illegal immigrants to leave Malaysia without being charged.

"He said on television that there has been an extension but we see in Malaysian newspapers that there is no such extension. He seems to have lied," the activist said.

During a visit to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Jacob reportedly asked the Malaysian government to delay enforcement of the new immigration law since many illegal workers in plantations and remote areas may not be aware of the new legislation.

According to the minister, large numbers of undocumented Indonesians are trying to leave Sabah but are unable to do so because of transportation constraints.

"Some 70,000 people are waiting for the Indonesian navy to send warships over to bring them back to Nunukan (a nearby Indonesian port town)," he said.

Three Indonesian warships have been deployed to transport away thousands of workers stranded in Tawau. The warships are expected to transport a total of up to 120,000 illegal workers from Sabah.

Wahyu also said at least 1,000 people are being deported per day from ports in Peninsular Malaysia to several destinations in Indonesia, including Medan and Batam.

"Those with money left will have to buy another boat ticket from Sumatra to go to either Tanjung Periuk in Jakarta or Tanjung Perak in Surabaya. A ticket costs about Rp 200,000 or RM100," he added.

"They may be trafficked back to Malaysia to make more money," said Wahyu.

Thousands deported

Wahyu also expressed concern over the fate of thousands more who are stranded in Malaysia because they do not have the money to pay for their tickets home.

Asked if the immigrant flow will cease with the new immigration law here, he said traffic may be low now but it is expected to pick up if the law is not strictly enforced by Malaysian authorities.

"There are others who are still going to Sabah and Sarawak. Most immigrants are there," he added.

According to the Immigration Department, a total of 318,272 illegal immigrants including 269,503 Indonesians departed Malaysia during the government's amnesty period which took place between March 22 and July 31.

The amended Immigration Act came into force yesterday with police arresting over a hundred undocumented immigrants outside the compound of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees building in Kuala Lumpur.

To date, it is uncertain if the immigrants have been charged under the new law. However, a report in The Sun said the group has been sent to two detention camps while awaiting deportation.

( Photos courtesy of Kopbumi )